SC: Massacre judge ruling reasonable, calls for sobriety By Benjamin B. Pulta 09/03/2010

SC: Massacre judge ruling reasonable, calls for sobriety
By Benjamin B. Pulta
09/03/2010

A Supreme Court (SC) official yesterday urged the public to let justice run its course and defended Quezon City Judge Jocelyn Solis Reyes’ decision to put off temporarily the trial of the Maguindanao massacre case which should have commenced on Sept. 1.

Reyes upon the request of the defense lawyers representing the suspects, led by members of the Ampatuan clan agreed that the trial could not proceed as yet as she still has to receive the comments of both the prosecution and defense panels on the pre-trial order she issued last Aug. 27.

Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said Reyes was right when she postponed the trial since the guidelines that would govern the trial proceedings have not yet been approved by the parties.

“The pre-trial order will govern the proceedings of the trial… Neither party filed their respective comment. Therefore, the court cannot go into trial as there are no guidelines yet to govern the trial,” Marquez told a press conference.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20100903nat1.html